The invention relates to marine jet drives, and more particularly to weed grates therefor.
Marine jet drive intake grates are known in the prior art. The intake grate covers the water intake of the jet drive, and has forward and aft ends with tines extending longitudinally therebetween. Water is admitted upwardly and rearwardly through the grate into the water intake of the jet drive. The grate may become clogged due to weeds and debris wrapping around the tines of the grate and slide rearwardly along the tines and become stuck where the tines connect to the aft end of the grate. When the weeds build up, they block water flow into the water intake of the jet drive.
The present invention addresses and solves the noted clogging problem. Weeds and debris are allowed to slide off the tines at the aft end of the grate while the jet drive is operating. The anti-clogging feature is automatic, and no extra mechanism is needed for de-clogging. The structure retrofits existing jet drives, and does not protrude below the rest of the jet drive.